The vegetarian or vegan diet is becoming very popular, and people are moving away from meat and animal products. Although vegetarians and vegans don't like to be called a "fad," it certainly seems that giving up meat is on the rise, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.
What does it mean to be vegetarian?
Today, being "vegetarian" can mean many things, for example:
- A "flexitarian" is someone who avoids meat most of the time but will occasionally consume meat, poultry, or fish.
- A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish, or poultry but will still eat eggs and dairy products. This is the most common form of vegetarianism.
- A lacto-vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry, fish, or eggs but will still consume dairy products.
- An ovo-vegetarian does not eat meat, poultry, fish, or dairy but will consume eggs.
And finally, there is veganism. This is considered the most "extreme" form of vegetarianism. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and honey.
Vegetarian Diets
This time we will focus on vegetarian diets, which are not always healthy. Some research suggests that people who consume a well-balanced vegetarian diet have lower rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some types of cancer, and live longer compared to those on an omnivorous diet.
The key here is that it truly is "well-balanced" because excluding meat, poultry, and fish from the diet does not automatically make it healthy. Many foods such as french fries, pastries, cookies, pizza, and soft drinks can still be consumed, and daily foods like fruits and vegetables can be neglected if vegetarian diets are not carefully planned.
Due to the exclusion of animal-based proteins, it is important to replace these nutrients with plant-based options.
Necessary Nutrients in a Vegetarian Diet
Protein
Can be easily met with dairy, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, soy, and tempeh. Other products such as quinoa, soy, and amaranth are complete proteins because they contain all essential amino acids. In fact, vegetarians can adequately meet their protein requirements when they consume a variety of plant-based sources.
Iron
A mineral of which the vegetarian population is at risk of deficiency; in fact, it has been estimated that approximately 5% of the population has iron deficiency anemia. Foods such as spinach, broccoli, beetroot, fortified cereals, whole grains, legumes and lentils, nuts, seeds, and also eggs are high in iron. Vitamin C (found in fruits and vegetables) can increase its absorption of iron; however, certain foods and drinks can interfere and reduce its absorption. For example, tannins found in tea, coffee, and red wine and high amounts of phytates can reduce iron absorption.
Vitamin B12
An essential vitamin for most vegans and vegetarians. In this article, you can find all the information on this topic.
Omega 3
Omega 3 fatty acids are known as essential fatty acids because the body cannot produce them, therefore they must be obtained from food. Plant-based omega 3s come in the form of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) and are found in vegetable oils, nuts (especially walnuts), seeds (especially flaxseeds and chia seeds), and soybeans. The body can convert ALA to DHA and EPA, but this process is not very efficient. In addition, there are factors that can inhibit this process, such as excess omega 6 and saturated fats, low protein and energy intake, as well as nutrient deficiencies (B3, B6, zinc, Mg).
Therefore, vegetarian diets , if well-planned, are nutritionally adequate, as well as healthy and delicious. The key is variety and balance.
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